Volumetrically controlled drink dispenser

Abstract

Bottle mounted liquid metering apparatus including a helical fastener band self-adapting to a thread pitch. In alternative embodiments, collars rotatively supported relative to a pour tube and a plug portion control the size of a vent aperture and/or a fill window within the interior of the bottle along the pour tube and thereby the volume dispensed; a bottle vent integrally extends from the body of a threaded cap or a plug in radial relation thereto; and electronically timed annunciator means sequentially, uniformly meter a dispensed volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Liquid metering apparatus for a liquid containing bottle comprising: a. nozzle means having a bore in communication with the bottle interior for dispensing liquid through said bore; and   b. means for forming a liquid tight seal between said nozzle means and said bottle wherein said seal means includes a cap having sidewalls and an annular top wall and further includes a discontinuous flat band having first and second lateral edges of differing lengths extending between a bottom and a top edge and positioned in concentric, frusto-conical relation to the interior of said sidewalls such that the shorter of the first and second lateral edges and said top edge are rotatively engageable with threads projecting from said bottle and such that said band resiliently flexes at a point of rotation to compressively seal against said bottle.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said nozzle means includes a vent aperture to the bore opening through a sidewall from the bottle interior and a liquid volume defining means comprised of an annular collar including a plurality of apertures of differing areas and wherein said nozzle means includes means coupled to said collar for rotatively positioning said collar and each of said plurality of apertures in alignment with said vent aperture. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said collar positioning means includes a vent bore in communication with the atmosphere and the interior of said bottle. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said nozzle means includes an annular flange which mounts in covering relation to a portion of an upper surface of the cap and which includes a radially extending channelway in communication with an upper end of an vent bore through the cap and wherein said channelway is exposed to the atmosphere. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said nozzle means includes first and second check balls mounted within a tubular member defining the bore and in liquid sealing relation to at least first and second annular valve seats, wherein said first and second valve seats are respectively positioned forward of a fill aperture opening through a sidewall of said tubular member and in communication with said bore and the bottle interior and aft of said vent aperture and wherein said vent aperture is aft of said fill aperture. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said nozzle means includes at least one exposed fill aperture opening through a sidewall of a tubular member and in communication with said bore and the bottle interior and wherein the fill aperture is positioned forward of said vent aperture and further including means for selectively varying the exposure of said fill aperture. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said fill aperture exposure varying means includes a second annular collar having an edge portion aligning with said fill aperture to selectively vary the exposure of said fill aperture as said second collar is rotated. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as forth in claim 1 wherein said cap includes a stop projection extending from an interior sidewall surface to engage the longer of said first and second lateral edges to restrain the band from rotating in said cap. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as forth in claim 8 wherein said cap includes a radiused lip at a periphery of an open bottom end and further includes at least one member projecting from said top wall to support a portion of said band. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as forth in claim 1 wherein said cap includes a tubular vent portion comprising a second bore and wherein said vent portion mounts interiorly of said bottle such that said second bore is in communication with the atmosphere and the interior of the bottle. 
     
     
       11. Liquid metering apparatus for a liquid containing bottle comprising: a. nozzle means including a tubular member having a bore in communication with the bottle interior for dispensing liquid through said bore, wherein said tubular member includes an exposed fill aperture in communication with the bottle interior and opening through a sidewall of said tubular member to said bore;   b. means for forming a liquid tight seal between said nozzle means and said bottle wherein said seal means includes a cap having sidewall and an annular top wall and further includes a discontinuous flat band having first and second lateral edges of differing lengths extending between a bottom and a top edge and positioned in concentric, frusto-conical relation to the interior of said sidewalls such that the shorter of the first and second lateral edges and said top edge are rotatively engageable with threads projecting from said bottle and such that said band resiliently flexes at a point of rotation to compressively seal against said bottle; and   c. means for selectively varying the exposure of said fill aperture and thereby defining a repetitively deliverable liquid volume.   
     
     
       12. Liquid metering apparatus for a liquid containing bottle comprising: a. nozzle means includes a bore in communication with the bottle interior for dispensing liquid through said bore;   b. battery means;   c. timing means for producing a periodic control signal of a predetermined duration;   d. switch means for coupling said battery means to said timing means upon filling said bore;   e. annunciator means responsive to said periodic control signal for indicating the dispensing of uniformly identical volumes of liquid with the occurrence of each control signal, and whereby a user can dispense measured volumes of liquid without interrupting the liquid delivered to said bore; and   f. means for forming a liquid that seal between the nozzle means and said bottle including a cap having sidewalls and an annular top wall and further including a discontinuous flat band having first and second lateral edges of differing lengths extending between a bottom and a top edge and positioned in concentric, frusto-conical relation to the interior of said sidewalls such that the shorter of the first and second lateral edges and said top edge are rotatively engageable with threads projecting from said bottle and such that said band resiliently flexes at a point of rotation to compressively seal against said bottle   
     
     
       13. Apparatus as forth in claim 12 wherein said annunciator comprises a light emitting diode and said metering means includes means for selectively varying the period of said timer means. 
     
     
       14. Liquid metering apparatus for a liquid containing bottle comprising: a. nozzle means including a tubular member having a bore in communication with the bottle interior for dispensing liquid through said bore, wherein said tubular member includes a first vent aperture opening through a sidewall to said bore from the bottle interior, a second vent aperture in communication with the atmosphere and bottle interior and further including at least one fill aperture opening through a sidewall of said tubular member in communication with said bore and the bottle interior and positioned forward of said first vent aperture and wherethrough the liquid enters the bore;   b. first means including a first collar concentrically mounted in relation to the tubular member and rotationally operative along a radial axis for selectively varying the exposure of said fill aperture;   c. second means including a second collar concentrically mounted in relation to the tubular member and rotationally operable along a radial axis for selectively varying the exposure of said first vent aperture and whereby the first and second means define a repetitively deliverable liquid volume; and   d. means for forming a liquid tight seal between said nozzle means and said bottle.